Plumas County
Biographies
Ripley C. Kelley
was the discoverer of the diggings on Willow bar, below Junction bar, on the north fork of Feather river. He went on the bar in August, 1850, to prospect, and found gold in abundance. In one day he panned out twenty-two ounces. One day in September, being out of provisions, Joe Barnett, a stranger, came along, and Kelley left his claim in charge of him while he went to friends on Nelson creek for supplies. He found them, the Wisconsin company, taking out such good pay-dirt that they induced him to remain with them. Other parties soon settled on his claim at Willow bar, and made fortunes in a few weeks. However, he made a good sum on Nelson creek, and went back to Wisconsin in the winter. He afterwards returned to Plumas, and was elected assemblyman in 1855, with Joseph Winston. Since his brief official career, he has been continuously interested in mining pursuits, and is now mining on Poorman’s creek.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 196-197
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Dec. 2004
Thomas B. Shannon
is a native of Pennsylvania. In early life he emigrated to Illinois, where he worked at the tinsmithing trade. In 1849 he came to California, and worked at his trade for E. C. Ross in Marysville. From there he removed to the upper Sacramento region, and engaged in gaming and sporting. In 1865 Shannon came into Plumas county, and with James A. Blood started a store at Elizabethtown. Under the law creating the board of supervisors, Shannon was elected a member of the Plumas board April 9, 1855, from district No. 2. He was re-elected that fall, but resigned in October; at the same time sold his business at Elizabethtown, and purchased a one-third interest in the firm of Clark, Wagner, & Co., at Meadow valley—Shannon assuming control of the business. Injudicious speculation caused the firm to collapse in 1861, with liabilities amounting to $50,000. Shannon was elected to the assembly in 1858 over Dr. Walker, and re-elected in 1859 as a Douglas democrat, over Parsons, the Breckenridge candidate. He was again run for the assembly in 1861, appearing on the political turf as the unconditional-union candidate, and was elected, defeating William Wagner and William Jacks. Shannon became an intense war man from this period, and declared in favor of the emancipation as the best means to preserve the union. In 1862 Shannon was pitted against Richard Irwin for the state senate, and beat him by 261 votes. He now gave up his residence in Plumas, and in the canvass of 1863 was elected to congress from the third district. He has since served as surveyor of the port of San Francisco, a member of the assembly from that city, speaker of the assembly, and collector of the port of San Francisco. He was married in August, 1856, to Miss Avis Folger, at Meadow valley.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 196
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Dec. 2004
William H. Crane,
a native of the state of New York, came to California from Michigan in 1858. He is an old resident of Lassen county, where he held the office of county treasurer for six years. In 1877 he was elected by the republicans to represent Butte, Plumas, and Lassen counties in the senate. He resides at Susanville.
SOURCE: Illustrated History of Plumas, Lassen & Sierra Counties, with California from 1513 to 1850. –
Fariss and Smith, San Francisco, 1882. p 196
Transcribed by Craig Hahn, Dec. 2004